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Topic: Converting Pedals to Locking Pedals |
Justin Shaw
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 9 Aug 2023 8:57 am |
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| Is it possible to convert a normal pedal that releases when you stop pressing it into a locking version? I'm sure it depends on alot of things but I'm just wondering if there are known best practices of some kind. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 9 Aug 2023 9:20 am
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Assuming you mean floor pedal versus volume pedal.....yes.
A locking mechanism such as Sierra used on their Universal LKR can be attached to most pedal shafts/mechanisms some place.
Sierra used a apron mounted mechanical knob rotating a cam to hold the shaft in place until it was realeased.
I don't know any reason why a similar device couldn't be placed on a floor pedal's cross shaft.
Probably someone has already done it. |
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Justin Shaw
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 9 Aug 2023 10:43 am
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Yes sorry I should have specified but I mean the pedals and levers on the steel itself.
OK thank you! If only I had a Sierra haha. Maybe I'll get one for this. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 9 Aug 2023 11:01 am
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Not limited to Sierra. The technology could be applied to any pedal steel using the proper components assuming just one pedal.
Rigging a system involving all the pedals wouldn't be practical. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2023 11:39 am
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A Locking Lever is used on some 12 string Universal tuned guitars. The lock, Is used to lock strings 4-8 in D# and string 2 in C# and holds the guitar in B6th tuning.
The lock is usually attached to the cross shaft, With a spring in the pull to remove any slack in the linkage. Some have a lever on top of the guitar, Some guitars you have to reach under the guitar to engage and disconnect. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 5:05 am
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Just out of curiosity, what change do you have in mind for this pedal? Interesting concept.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 7:31 am
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| Does anyone have a link for the locking mechanism and how to install? Jim Palenscar, maybe? |
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Jim Fogarty
From:
Phila, Pa, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 12:03 pm
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| Not the OP, but it would be nice to find something where you could "lock" the D lever, to play non-pedal B6 on an E9 psg. It gets to be a bit much keeping that lever engaged for any entire song. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 2:06 pm
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| Jim Fogarty wrote: |
| Not the OP, but it would be nice to find something where you could "lock" the D lever, to play non-pedal B6 on an E9 psg. It gets to be a bit much keeping that lever engaged for any entire song. |
That was my first thought.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 3:10 pm
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That technology was implemented on Sierra guitars since back in the 70s. As I posted earlier, it functioned off a cam eccentric that held the shaft in a locked position.
That's the very purpose it served so that one could use other knees and pedals further right as common on a 6th tuning. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 5:24 pm
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A diagram is available in the Sierra technical manual. See fig. 13.
http://www.sierrasteels.com/support_documentation/sierramanual.pdf
I have no idea what I’m looking at there, so this would be a job for somebody who knows what they’re doing.
I emailed Bill Rudolph today about making this addition to my Williams S12. In so many words, he advised me that adding a lock to a lever is not a DIY undertaking. |
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Justin Shaw
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 10 Aug 2023 6:46 pm
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| Wow thanks everyone! That's a ton to think about. Hmm. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 11 Aug 2023 6:59 am
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For a knee lever, it's a piece of cake. It only takes a bracket bolted to the apron or other accessible location and a cam of some sort to rotate behind the knee lever hub to hold it in place.
For a pedal, might be a little trickier....just have to find a spot somewhere along the cross shaft or pedal mechanism in the body to mount a similar device...maybe behind a convenient bell crank.
It's simpler than you might think. All you're doing is using a mechanical brace to take the place of your knee holding the hub in place. Some designs such as Sierra, require some simple linkage pcs.
Now, for a complete rack of pedals, doable but just not practical. Too much clutter and interference on the underside.
I'm sure such devices can be configured on a pedal rack on the floor vs. the cabinet underside as well.
Just need something to hold the pedal down when you remove your foot. Maybe a brick? 🤔
Here's a lever lock I crafted for a 12 string guitar. The short aluminum lever mounted to the cabinet on a nylon bushing to let it rotate behind the kl hub when engaged.
I didn't take the time to search it but there have been other devices used to do the same thing. IIRC someone did it on a ZumSteel guitar with a locking device that is commonly available somewhere....if you want to poke around for the forum post.
Slick work from the impeccable shop of Darvin Wilhoite:
| Darvin Willhoite wrote: |
I've made a few for MSA Classics that looked like this.
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...and the mechanical expertise of Lynn Stafford:
| Lynn Stafford wrote: |
Here you go Tony. I used a very small De-Sta-Co Toggle Clamp to do the job and it worked just great!
I bought it from Bruce Zumsteg, along with the mounting bracket and cross shaft lever. |
Link here to other types of de sta co clamping levers de sta co asst
Last edited by Jerry Overstreet on 11 Aug 2023 1:33 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2023 8:47 am
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| Jerry, I think Bill’s mechanism for the Williams involved mounting an access knob on the face of the back apron, with a clean shiny cover plate, kinda like the Excel version. I think with appropriate parts I could probably install something like what you’re talking about, that doesn’t involve cosmetic alteration. That L-shaped bracket you are pointing toward in the pic looks like something I have on my Carter. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 11 Aug 2023 1:39 pm
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That piece is something I had in my steel guitar parts stash. I think it was part of a Derby stop or something. It actually has 3 angles and it just happened to be the correct dimension to fit the lever mechanics.
The stop bracket just in front of that is pretty heavy, maybe 5/16" thick 90 degree angle stock. It needs to be thick enough to hold the lok stable wihtout bending or giving so that it holds the string to the desired tuning. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 11 Aug 2023 4:25 pm
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Justin, you've got me thinking now. I play a D10 with unusual changes on pedal 8 for the C6 tuning. Basically, it puts the guitar in a C major tuning all the way across. I sometimes have to hold it down for an indefinite period with some things I do.
I'm going to investigate a method of locking that pedal down similar to what we discussed about the knee levers either underneath the cabinet or maybe at the pedal itself. Hmmm...we'll see what develops. |
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Douglas Schuch
From:
Valencia, Philippines
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